Lily plant named ‘Tiber’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Lily plant named ‘Tiber’ characterized by having upright to horizontal flowers, intense, pink color, contrasting white tepal ends, and vigorous growth habit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of lilyplant, botanically known as Lilium L., and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Tiber’.

‘Tiber’ is a product of a planned breeding program which had theobjective of creating new lily cultivars having large, upright flowers.

‘Tiber’ was originated from a hybridization made by the inventor in acontrolled breeding program in Rijnsburg, the Netherlands in 1984. Themale and female parents were unnamed seedlings of Lilium L. orientalhybrids. Both parents are proprietary cultivars used in the breedingprogram.

‘Tiber’ was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross by the inventor, Cees A. van der Voort, onJun. 7, 1984 in a controlled environment in Rijnsburg, the Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Tiber’ was accomplished whenscales were taken from the initial selection in October 1988 in acontrolled environment in Rijnsburg, the Netherlands by, or under thesupervision of, Cees A. van der Voort. Horticultural examination ofselected units initiated in May, 1988 has demonstrated that thecombination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Tiber’ arefirmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexualreproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of ‘Tiber’ which, in combination, distinguishthis lily as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. upright to horizontal flowers;    -   2. intense, pink color;    -   3. contrasting white tepal ends; and    -   4. vigorous growth habit.

‘Tiber’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary significantlywith variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, anddaylength without any change in genotype. The following observations,measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown at the experimentalresearch institute CPRO-DLO, Wageningen, the Netherlands underconditions which approximate those generally used in commercialpractice.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, no othercultivars are similar in comparison to ‘Tiber’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color photographic drawing shows typical plant andflower characteristics of ‘Tiber’, with colors being as true as possiblewith illustrations of this type.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S). The color values weredetermined between 12 am and 2 pm in May 1998 at the Dutch experimentalresearch station CPRO-DLO, Wageningen, the Netherlands.

-   Origin: Seedling from breeding program.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed seedling.        -   Male parent.—Unnamed seedling.-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—A hybrid of the genus Lilium L.        -   Commercial.—Oriental Lily cv. ‘Tiber’.-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—A single stem carrying numerous, alternately arranged            pedicels.        -   Height.—Medium to high for the mature plant, approximately            85 cm.        -   Growth habit.—Vigorous; from the beginning of vegetation to            the first flowering takes 90 days, depending on cultivation            conditions, especially temperature i.e., approximately            20-30% more vigorous than the traditional ‘Stargazer’            cultivar.        -   Stem.—Circular in transverse section; anthocyanin            pigmentation is present in spots and stripes; internodal            length 6.5 cm, depending on the cultivation conditions of            the cultivar.        -   Foliage.—Quantity: Approximately 60 to 70 depending on            cultivation conditions. Size of leaf: Mature leaves are            approximately 7.5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. Shape of leaf:            Generally ovate. Color: Medium green, RHS 136 A.        -   Bulb.—Size: 16 to 18 cm in circumference. Color: White RHS            157 B with pink shades.-   Bud:    -   -   Form.—Tapering like a lancet.        -   Size.—11 cm in length depending on cultivation conditions.        -   Opening.—Unfolds normally.        -   Color.—Light pink, RHS 62A.        -   Tepals.—Folded, three visible.-   Flower:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Raceme.        -   Size.—Medium, 20 cm in diameter depending on cultivation            conditions.        -   Borne.—Upright to horizontal along a longitudinal axis.        -   Shape.—Generally, hexagonal star in form and bowl-shaped in            cross-section.        -   Tepalage.—Number of Tepals: 6. Arrangement: Three inner and            three outer. Color: RHS 64 A. Upper Surface: Pink, RHS 63C,            mid-vein is green fading to yellow. Lower Surface: Light            pink, RHS 62C. Spotting or Marking: Spots and markings are            present, dark pink in color RHS 64A.        -   Pedicel.—Length: Short to medium, 8 cm, depending on            cultivation conditions. Color: Secondary color on tepal tips            and edges is white, RHS 155D. Form:        -   Texture.—Papillose.        -   Disease resistance.—Average in comparison to the disease            resistance level of traditional Lily cultivars.        -   Fragrance.—Weak.        -   Lasting quality.—Excellent; 28 days under standardized            storage condition, as compared to the general lasting            quality of 21 days for the ‘Stargazer’ lily.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens and anthers.—Arrangements: Anthers form a generally            circular pattern at their upper ends. Number: 6. Length: 7            cm depending on cultivation conditions. Filaments Color:            Yellowish green, RHS 145 D.        -   Pollen color.—Dark brown, RHS 177 A.        -   Anther color.—Dark brown, RHS 200D.        -   Pistils.—Green, RHS 145 C.        -   Stigma.—Grey, RHS 201 B.        -   Ovaries.—Triangular in shape.        -   Lasting quality.—‘Tiber’ has an average lasting quality of            28 days, 7 days longer than the general lasting quality of            lily plants under standardized storage conditions.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lily plant named ‘Tiber’, asillustrated and described herein.